Traffic signal device



March 30, 1937. J Lo s 2,075,447

TRAFFIC SIGNAL DEVICE Filed May 24, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 37 Z J7 fi Y 2527 I- March 30, 1937.

F. J. LOSS TRAFFIC SIGNAL DEVICE Filed May 24, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Mufl!II!III!!!IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII Patented Mar. .30, I 1937 UNITED STATESTRAFFIC SIGNAL DEVICE Frank J. Loss, Detroit, Mich, assignor to CorningGlass Works, Corning, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application May24, 1930, Serial N0. 455,256

Claims.

This invention relates to traflic or signal lights, and moreparticularly to lights located along a highway to indicate railroadcrossings.

.The principal object of the invention is the 5 provision of new andimproved signal device having novel means for causing a movement of therays of light across a predetermined field or -zone, together with anintermittent illumination of said zone.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a source of lightwith new and improved means for moving the same, whereby a source oflight will be caused to appear and disappear alternately for attractingthe attention of motorists traveling the highway and warning them oftheir proximity to a railway crossing.

A still further object o the invention is the provision of a new andimproved trafiic or signal light that is inexpensive to manufacture,efi'icient in use, distinctive in appearance, that is composed of fewmoving parts, and that is not likely to become broken or get out oforder.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will appearfrom the following description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view showing a rail-, waycrossing with the devices in position alongside the highway at itsintersection with the rail- 30 War;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the device;

Fig. 3 is a. vertical section thereof;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section showing a modified form of construction;

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of a railway crossing with the inventionin position therein;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section of a different form of the device;

Fig. '7 is a vertical section along broken line 40 l1 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a section on line 8-8 of Fig. 7; and

Fig. 9 is an elevation of the adjusting device for the lightingmechanism, with parts in section and parts broken away.

For convenience of description the simplest form of the device shown inFigs. 1 to 4 inclusive will first be described, after which thedescription of the preferred form will be given.

Referring now to the drawings, the reference .31) character [9designates a public highway which crosses one or more railways I I atthe same level. One or more traffic or signal lights [2, two beingshown, are mounted alongside the highway at each side of the railwaycrossing. It is common .35 practice to employ the lights in pairs sothat if one and 3 the light assembly I! is mounted o fails there willstill be one left to function as a signal. Preferably, though notnecessarily, they are located at each side of the railway on the rightside of the highway in order to efficiently warn the traffic of theproximity of the railway or 5 railways.

Each signal light [2 comprises a casing or housing 13 which is adaptedto be supported in any suitable manner, as by the post l4, see Fig.

3. The casing l3 may be and preferably is pro- 10 vided with a pluralityof faces or side walls.

One of the faces or side .walls, as the wall I5, is provided with atransparency as a window or pane of glasslB, through which rays from thesignal light I! may be projected as will presently 15 appear.

In order to be efficient, a signal light should not shine with a steadylight, but should be movable or at least intermittent. A movable orintermittent light will attract the attention, whereas a 20 steady lightmay be passed unobserved. The present invention seeks to combine themovable and intermittent features.

Suitable means are provided for moving the source of light to cause anintermittent projection .of the beams or rays of light through thetransparency. In the form of construction selected to illustrate asimple embodiment of the invention, the light assembly I! is so mountedthat it is rotated and a shield is provided to intermittently interceptthe rays of light passing through said transparency.

As shown, the means for moving the light comprises a motor l 8 which ismounted in the casing l3 as by being attached to the back wall thereof.5 The motor may be operated in any suitable manner. The motor shown isan electric one and is so mounted that the armature shaft [9 extendsvertically.

In the form of construction shown in Figs. 3

is rotatable with said armature shaft. on the armature shaft l9 butinsulated th refrom is a bracket 21 having arms 22, 23 and xtendingupwardly therefrom.

Slidably mounted within the upper end of the arm 24 is a lamp socket 25within which is detachably secured the source of light, such as theelectric light bulb 26, in the usual manner. The socket 25 is adapted tobe frictionally held within a suitable opening in the upper end of saidarm and may be slid back and forth for focusing the source of light aswill presently appear. A reflector 21 is rigidly connected to the arms22 and 23 and is so positioned that the bulb 26 will be supported at itsfocus. The bracket 2| may be secured to the shaft IS in any suitablemanner.

Suitable means are provided for pivoting the light assembly [1 at itsupper end to the casing |3 so as to prevent vibration of the same duringits operation. As shown, a bracket 29 having a spring-pressed pivotmember 3| therein is provided for this purpose. The pivot member 3|engages in a corresponding socket in the block 30 rigidly secured to theupper end of the reflector 21.

Appropriate means are provided for conducting the electric current toand from the source of light. Any suitable means may be employed forthis purpose. As shown, a pair of brushes 432 and 33 mounted in asupport 34 are adapted "to contact a corresponding pair of collars 35and 36 mounted on the block 38 and insulated from each other and fromsaid block.

A pair of conductors 31 and 38 attached to said collars are adapted toconvey the current to the bracket which supports the source of light 26.These conductors extend about the back of the reflector. If desired thearm 24 may be made hollow so that the wires 31 and 38 may extendtherethrough. The current for operating the source of light may beconsidered as entering the device through the conductor 42, brush 32,collar 35, conductor 31, to the source of light and return by theconductor 38, collar 36, brush 33 and conductor 43.

In the operation of the device the motor 8 will rotate, causing thelightingassembly to rotate, and when the source of light is in theposition shown in Fig. 3 the rays therefrom will pass through thetransparency l6 and will be visible as a moving beam of light, to thedriver on the highway approaching the crossing. As the light assemblycontinues to move the reflector 21 will be brought into position tointercept the rays of light at each rotation of the device. The twoadjacent signal lamps are adapted to be so arranged that while the raysof light from one of the bulbs are being projected through thetransparency the reflector acting as a shield will be intercepting therays of light from the bulb of the companion device. In this manner therays of light from each will be intermittently intercepted and the partswill be so constructed that there will be substantially a constant lightvisible from the highway. The transparency in the devicesis arranged toface in the direction in which the highway extends, and at an angle tothe railway.

By arranging the companion lights so that one will be shielded while theother is visible;

their operation will simulate the rapid swinging to and fro of a signallight. By also turning the companion lights in opposite directions asindicated by the arrows in Fig. 1, this illusion may be greatlyheightened. The color of the transparencies will determine the color ofthe lights in the usual manner, or colored bulbs may be used with aclear transparency as may be desired.

Preferably the lights and motors are arranged in multiple so that if onefails to function it will not affect the operation of the remainingones.

If it is desired that the period between flashes be lengthened, thelight assembly may be mounted on a countershaft with a reducing gearingas shown in Fig. 4. In this figure, a small pinion 45' is mounted on thearmature shaft IQ of the motor and meshes with a large gear 46 on acountershaft 41 on which the signal light is rigidly mounted. Therelative number of teeth in the gear and pinion will determine the spaceof time between flashes. Since the remaining structure is substantiallythe same as that shown in Figs. '1 and- 2 the description need not herebe repeated.

In Figs. 5 to 9 is shown the preferred form of construction. In thisform of the device each casing is so constructed that the light thereinwill be visible in approaching the device from either direction alongthe highway. Mirrors are also employed to multiply and accentuate thelight effects. By meansof this simple arrangement the rays of lightappear to be moving in various directions with the result that there issuch a maze of moving light rays that the attention of the driver isattracted even under the most unfavorable circumstances.

Referring now to Figs. 5 to 9, the reference character 48 designates apair of railway tracks and the numeral 49 a highway crossing said tracksat the same level. A pair of signal lights 5| and 52 are mountedalongside the highway at each side of the railway tracks as clearlyshown in Fig. 5 of the drawings.

Each signal device comprises a casing 53, see Fig. 6, having a back wall54, a front wall 55 and inclined side walls 56 and 51. The side wallsare provided with transparencies 58 and 59 which converge forwardlywhereby rays fromthe source of light 6| will sweep the highway in bothdirections with a comparatively wide band of light.

A source of light 6| is mounted within the casing 53 and suitable meansare provided for intercepting the rays from this source that areprojected through said transparencies.

As shown, a motor 62 is mounted within the casing and means are.providedfor rotating the source of light by this motor as will now be described.The motor shaft 63 is provided with a pinion 64 which meshes with a gear65 secured on a countershaft 66 journaled in an arm 61 carried by themotor 62, see Fig. 7. A bracket 68 is mounted on the web or spoke 68 ofthe gear 65. The light source and reflector 1| which constitute what maybe called the light assembly are carried by this bracket. 1

Suitable means are provided for tilting the light assembly. As shown,the bracket is provided with a wedge-shaped fulcrum 12 and with lateralprojections or feet 13 and 14, see Fig. 9. Screws 15 and 16 extendthrough enlarged openings in the web 68 and are threaded in the feet 73and 14. By loosening one and tightening the other the bracket may betilted as desired.

A bracket arm 11, see Fig. 8, is rigidly attached to the bracket 68 andthe bulb holder or socket 18 is carried by the upper end of said arm.The parts are so arranged that the source of light 6|, the electricbulb, will be supported in the focus of a reflector 1| rigidly mountedon the bracket 68.

The casing 53 is adapted to be supported in any suitable manner. Asshown, it is supported by a hollow support or arm 8| as is usual in suchconstructions. The leads 82, 83 for conducting the electric current tothe source of light 6| are adapted to enter the casing through thehollow arm 8|. The leads 82 and 83 are connected to brushes 84 and 85which engage collars 86 and 81 rigidly mounted on the shaft 66 andinsulated therefrom and from each other.

Suitable conductors 88 and 89 in contact with the collars 86 and 81respectively are adapted to extend upwardly through an opening 8| in theweb of the gear 65 and are connected to the socket 18 in the usualmanner.

In order to magnify or accentuate the light effects, mirrors may be andpreferably are mounted within the casing for reflecting rays of lightthrough the transparencies. As shown, each of the casings 53 is providedadjacent the back wall 54 with a pair of mirrors 92 and 93. Preferablythese mirrors are adjustably mounted so that the light may be reflectedat the proper angle relative to the highway.

Any suitable means may be provided for adjustably mounting the mirrors.As shown, each of the mirrors is hingedly connected at its lower end asat 94 to the back wall 54, see Fig. 7, and means are provided at itsupper end for adjusting the angle of the mirror. This means comprises astud 95 threaded through the wall 54 and provided with a neck or reducedportion 96 which is adapted to engage a bifurcated bracket 91 on theupper end of the mirror. By turning the stud 95 the mirror may be tiltedforwardly or moved rearwardly. If desired, a mirror 98 may also bemounted on the front wall.

It will be readily apparent that the reflected rays of light will appearto move in the opposite direction from that of the direct rays, as thesource of light BI and the intercepting member or reflector H arerotated. It is evident that by means of this arrangement the direct raysand the reflected rays will mix and intermingle, producing a maze ofchanging lights that is calculated to attract the attention of themotorist under any and all circumstances.

It often happens that where the traflic is heavy on the highway thevehicles adjacent the signal light will intercept the rays of light andprevent motorists farther back from observing the signal. By providing atransparency facing in both directions along the highway the driver atsome distance from the signal, who is unable to see the light on theright side of the road may be able to see the signal on the left.

The signal lights are preferably arranged in pairs on the right side ofthe road as one approaches the railway crossing. The sources of light ofeach pair may be arranged to rotate synchronously in phases 180 apart,but this is not necessary. By the use of mirrors the direct andreflected rays of light from each source of light will be almostcontinuously directed across or along the highway. The lights are usedin pairs for the purpose of safety. If one light fails the other willfunction until repairs can be made.

While in the diagrammatic showing the signal,

be apparent to those skilled in the art, and that various changes insize, shape, proportion and details of construction may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A traffic signal light comprising an opaque housing having atransparency in one side thereof, a mirror within said housing forreflecting light from said source through said transparency, a source oflight opposite said transparency, a shield on one side only of saidsource of light, means for rotating said shield for alternately movingthe same between said source of light and said transparency and betweensaid light and said mirror.

2. A signal device comprising a casing, a transparency in a wall of saidcasing, a source of light within said casing for projecting rays oflight through said transparency, a reflector for said source of light,means for rotating said reflector and source of light as a unit about avertical axis, a mirror for reflecting rays from said source of lightthrough said transparency when said reflector is between said source oflight and said transparency, said reflector when in one positionintercepting the rays of light falling upon said mirror and reflectingsame through said transparency.

3. In a traflic light, an opaque housing having a transparency in onewall thereof, a source of light within said housing opposite saidtransparency, a mirror on one wall of said housing in position forreflecting rays from said source of light through said transparency,means for supporting said light independently of said mirror, and meanswithin said housing for moving said reflector between said transparencyand source of light and between said mirror and source of light, wherebyrays of light from said source will intermittently pass through saidtransparency and will be intermittently reflected by said mirror.

4. A signal device comprising a casing having opaque back and frontwalls and having converging side walls, a transparency in each sidewall, a source of light within said casing for projecting rays throughsaid transparency, amirror adjustably mounted on said back wall for.reflecting rays from said source of light through said transparency andmovable means for intermittently intercepting the rays projected throughsaid transparencies from said source of light and also for successivelyintermittently intercepting the rays projected onto said mirror fromsaid source of light.

5. In a signal, a pair of beam projecting means, means mounting saidbeam projecting means for rotation on parallel axes whereby the beamsare projected at substantially right angles to their respective axes,and means for rotating said beams simultaneously with the beams at 180degrees displacement.

FRANK J. LOSS.

